Public Benefits and the Lottery

Lottery is a gambling game in which numbers are drawn at random for prizes. The odds of winning are generally quite poor. States promote lottery games as a means of raising revenue. They claim that the money generated by the games benefits education and other public services. But how much of that revenue is actually used in those ways, and what are the costs of promoting a form of gambling that appeals to irrational human desires?

The practice of making decisions and determining fates by the casting of lots has a long history, going back centuries. Moses was instructed to divide the land among his people by lottery; and Roman emperors gave away property and slaves in this way. When the lottery was introduced to America by British colonists, public reaction was mostly negative. Ten of the thirteen colonies banned the games between 1844 and 1859.

But the emergence of state lotteries in the nineteenth century led to an expansion of their popularity. In addition to their ability to attract a large population, they were also a cost-effective way for governments to raise funds. Until recently, state lotteries were basically traditional raffles. They were advertised by broadcast and print media, and the public bought tickets for a drawing weeks or even months in the future.

But over time, state lotteries have come to rely on innovation in order to increase revenues and sustain interest. In the process, they have shifted public debate from broad concerns about their desirability to more narrow questions about their operations. These include a focus on generating profits, and complaints that they encourage compulsive gambling and have regressive effects on lower-income groups.